Tigers keep up Vanni attacks

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]The LTTE said today that they had surrounding Sri Lankan troops at Kara Patta Murippu who had been trapped when the rest of the 53rd SLA division had been forced back by LTTE counterattacks. Sources close to the army also said that the LTTE had launched a massive attack southeast of Kankarayan Kulam.

The Liberation Tigers said that they had surrounded Sri Lankan units at Kara Patta Murippu. Sri Lankan units which had been pushed back to Periamadu and Sinna Adampan on Monday and Tuesday had made several unsuccessful attempts to relieve the besieged troops.

Sources close to the Sri Lankan army in Vavuniya said today that there was another massive attack Wednesday night (8 Oct.) by the Liberation Tigers on 53 Division positions south east of Kankarayan Kulam.

Casualties on the Sri Lankan army side appear to be high, going by the number of ambulances and other casualty evacuation vehicles rushing to and from the battle zone ahead of Omanthai they said.

These sources also claimed that the LTTE seems to have removed about seven hundred assault rifles along with three bulldozers and other vehicles from the two supply depots they overran on Sunday.

The LTTE also said today that Sri Lankan artillery was shelling Olumadu, on the Mankulam-Mullaitivu road, causing widespread displacement of Tamil civilians. The Sri Lankan air force is also bombing the area.

During Operation 'Sath Jaya' last year, the Sri Lankan armed forces unleashed a massive bombardment on Kilinochchi town, triggering a panic stricken exodus by over 200,000 Tamil civilians. The Red Cross was also forced to flee the area when Sri Lankan shells blasted Killinochchi general hospital.